On a recent Sunday morning, in the sanctuary of Saddleback Church, Lead Pastor Andy Wood opened with a shout-out to the congregation’s newest female teaching pastor – his wife Stacie Wood.
It has been about a month since Andy Wood, 41, succeeded Pastor Rick Warren, author of the blockbuster bestseller “The Purpose Driven Life” and one of the most renowned figures in evangelical Christianity, who founded Saddleback in California’s Orange County nearly 43 years ago – before Wood was born. Today, it's a multi-site ministry reaching about 40,000 people worldwide. Despite the difference in age and experience, what Warren and Wood have in common is their commitment to a global church and nurturing female pastors.
